


Keeping Cool The Old-Fashioned Way

by Ink_Gypsy



Series: Sanctuary Singles [24]
Category: Lord of the Rings RPF (AU)
Genre: M/M, Sean Astin/Elijah Wood - Freeform, prompt word fic, reuben writing challenge, sanctuary singles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-14
Updated: 2018-07-14
Packaged: 2019-06-10 09:25:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15288510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ink_Gypsy/pseuds/Ink_Gypsy
Summary: A heatwave in July reminds Sean and Elijah of Elijah’s first days at the cabin.





	Keeping Cool The Old-Fashioned Way

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Reuben Writing Heatwave Challenge. Use the following word in a fic:
> 
> hot  
> sun  
> miserable  
> heat  
> drought  
> burning
> 
> Part of my Sanctuary Universe.

[](https://imgur.com/wldnFzE)  


With all the enhancements Sean had added to the cabin since Elijah’s arrival, he had never considered air conditioning…until now. Fans had always been enough to cool the cabin, but this first week of July, the temperatures had climbed into the high 90’s, almost hitting 100 one day, and coupled with the humidity, the heat had become unbearable.

They sat on the porch drinking glasses of cold lemonade, but Elijah seemed to be using his glass to cool his forehead rather than to drink the tart liquid inside. Even though he didn’t complain, Sean could see how miserable Elijah was. “I don’t think it’s been this hot since I first came here,” Elijah said, wiping the sweat from his brow. “Do you remember those first days, Sean?”

So many hot weather moments from those first days were etched in stone in Sean’s memory. Catching Elijah when he fainted at the kitchen table, then putting him to bed with a cold cloth draped across his forehead. The trip to Jenkins’s for ice cream, and Elijah eating his while he kept his bare feet on the ice packs Sean had bought to keep the pints of chocolate and vanilla cold on the trip back from the store.

“I remember,” Sean said. “You were still smoking then, and I kept worrying that you’d start a fire if you tossed one of your cigarettes off the porch.”

As it had that first summer, the heat had brought on a drought, and again Sean worried that someone’s negligence during the dry conditions might lead to a fire in the woods. Elijah didn’t smoke anymore, but many others still did, and one careless toss of a cigarette butt out of a car window or during a walk in the woods could set the dry timber ablaze, and soon have the woods burning out of control. Sean had learned from his years on the farm that the sun could be a friend, but during the dry weather, it could also be an enemy.

“You scared me to death when you told me that,” Elijah remembered.

“If it helped you quit smoking,” Sean joked, “then somebody should have scared you years ago.” He ran his hand over his own brow and wiped the wetness on his pant leg. “I think this heat is even worse than it was then. I guess it’s time I invested in some air conditioners.”

“I sure wouldn’t mind,” Elijah agreed, “but with this weather, I bet every store is sold out.”

“You’re probably right.” Sean sighed. “The time to buy air conditioners is in the winter.”

“In the meantime,” Elijah said, “there’s always ice cream.” When Sean started to get up, Elijah told him. “No, I’ll get it.” He came back a few minutes later carrying two spoons and two pints of ice cream, vanilla for Sean, and chocolate for himself.

As he took the pint and spoon Elijah offered, Sean saw that he was also carrying two ice packs. When Elijah dropped them on the porch and sat, placing one bare foot on each of the packs, Sean grinned and said, “Déjà vu, all over again.”

Elijah grinned back. “When something works, you stick with it.”

They ate their ice cream in silence, then Sean said, “Let me try one of those.” Elijah slid one of the ice packs over to Sean, who toed off the sandals he wore and placed both feet on the pack. “Ah…” The word came out in one, long sigh. “That feels really good.”

“Told you so,” Elijah said, putting his other foot on the remaining ice pack.

They sat contentedly, ice cream cooling their throats while the ice packs cooled their toes. It wasn’t air conditioning, but it wasn’t half bad.


End file.
